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Dan Goodspeed didn't think a CFL all-star nod was coming this season, even though his stats indicated he was better in 2008 than he was in 2007.

"After everything that happened this year I was kind of surprised," Goodspeed said yesterday, "because the media's been pretty hard on the offensive line and me personally."

The right tackle was the lone member of the Bomber offence appointed yesterday to the CFL all-star team, which is chosen by the Football Reporters of Canada, fans and coaches.

"I am excited about being an all-star," Goodspeed said yesterday from Indiana, while on his way home to Florida. "I did everything I could to help us win games."

Goodspeed, 31, was the East Division's most outstanding offensive lineman last season, and he said he improved his game this year.

"I graded out better, I gave up fewer sacks and fewer pressures, and I had fewer penalties," he said.

Goodspeed was one of Winnipeg's "Big Three" free agent re-signings in February, but he was the only one to finish the year on the field. The others, offensive lineman Matt Sheridan (shoulder) and defensive end Tom Canada (spleen), ended up on the nine-game injured list.

Goodspeed anchored a Bomber offensive line that surrendered only 29 sacks against and helped the team average more than 108 yards on the ground, despite using three tailbacks.

NO WESTY: Bomber GM Brendan Taman yesterday shot down the notion that kicker Troy Westwood might be able to make a return to the Bombers now that Doug Berry is out as head coach.

"There's going to be some available kickers in this league that are free agents, and I don't know if Troy matches up to those guys," Taman said. "... I would hope we could do better."

THE FINALISTS? While Eskimos receivers coach Mike Kelly is the leading candidate for the Bombers head coaching job, two defensive co-ordinators will also be in the running.

Winnipeg's Greg Marshall and Saskatchewan's Richie Hall, who were both considered in 2005 when Berry got the job, will be considered again, according to sources close to the team.